This is one of those jewel games where the AI really manages to give you some challenges with a very elegant simple system.

I'm definitely doing better at it, having read through the manual a couple times, but I still feel like there are probably some tactical 'pointers' I'm missing.

Anyone have any suggestions?

The opening Thebes battle in particular seems difficult to accomplish a major victory at, and indeed, whenever I've taken enough time to organize my troops so that I maximize the casualty ratio I wind up running out of turns.

Obvious tactical considerations:

1) Face the enemy 2) Use the counter-charge formation to blunt charging cav 3) keep lighly armored or smaller units out of direct harm and use them to flank more 4) Use Cav to attack from flank and rear whenever possible 5) make use of high ground 6) coordinate units so that you don't create exploitable gaps

I'm not clear what effect other terrain features (e.g. trees or rocks) have on combat though? In the Granicus scenario there are impassable areas around the river crossings, but other than that I'm not clear what other effects terrain might have.

1) Using some of the historical tactics that Alexander used are always useful in each scenario. Remember his strong push to flank, especially with fast moving troops 2) Don't always focus on taking time to arrange your troops 'just so'; you should treat them as a left, center and right. 3) If you try the 'brute force' method, you will usually be challenged to win the scenario. It leads to too much attrition, and it can lead to breaks in your lines. 4) Use your 'peon' troops to take the brunt of the charge and your elite units to do the real damage.

It really is a very fun game, and I've only played through the Granicus scenario so far. It is a real treat to find a gem like this that is elegantly simple, thus easy to learn, but obviously quite difficult to master! The simplicity of the game is misleading! You think it will be a very easy game, but the AI is quite capable, and it is NOT easy! Definite replayabilty in that respect.

Here is a question: Initiative numbers. Are these useful to predict who will go in what order (including enemy)?

So for example I have two cavs that are in proximity to a Theban Cav. My two have initiatives of Calis=1, and Demetrius=5, and the Theban Sopolis=4. Calis (1) is two moves away from being adjacent to Sopolis (4), where as Demetrius (5) is already adjacent to and facing toward Sopolis. Sopolis has his left flank turned slightly toward Demetrius (not a 90-degree turn, but halfway).

Lets assume I set Calis to come round to attack Sopolis, and also set Demetrius to attack Sopolis. I would assume that Sopolis would be as able to turn to face Demetrius before Demetrius could attack, but then would not be able to turn back again to face Calis?

In sum: are the initiatives pretty much predictive of who will go in what order for a turn? I thought I had a seen a few instances where the AI jumped 'ahead' and surprised me, else other situations where a unit set to reserve seemed to have got skipped. But that may have been just me not paying close enough attention.

ADDIT: here is a specific example

The Macedonian unit that is selected is Meleagar (Init = 8) the Theban Cav is Sopolis (1) and the other depleted Macedonian infantry is Hegelochus (10).

Since the Theban is a horse unit, and has the best initiative, I'm guessing it would be pointless for Meleager to charge Sopolis? and that the best tactic here is to set Hegelochus to counter-charge and Meleager to reserve?